Cardiomyopathy Help

[woodward34]

Hello again,

I first would like to thank everyone who posts here. I have been lurking and have found very usful information. I now turn to you again for help.

I am 28 years old and my family has a history of heart disease. So I went to see my dad's heart doctor just to start preventative treatments. I had a stress test back in Feb and the doctor found abnormal blood flow through my heart. I was shocked. He say a portion of my heart appeared to be "not working". He though it might be from a past heart attack due to the localized damage.

I had a cardocath on April 7 and I did not have any blockages and the Doc said my arteries look great for my age. But on the day of the precedure he told my parents I had abnormal blood flow in my left ventrical.

I had my appointment with the doctor today and he swaid that I have Cardiomyopathy with a EF of 40% and that 50% is normal and 30% in critical. He has put me on zestril an ace blocker to try to raise my EF%.

He told me I can do noraml thing without any real restrictions except lifting heavy free weihts (I work out) for a while until my echo test in 3 month to see if the ace blocker is working.

My questions are: Are there others on here with cardiomyopathy? How has your life changed since you found out? And what are the advantages/disadvantages of taking ace blockers? being 28 I am quite worried about this.


thanks again,

Woodward

[penk]

Hi Woodward, first I want to commend you for taking the brave step of getting your heart checked. You are on the right track and starting early treatment is really great. Make sure you follow your doctor's instructions of not using free weights. Make sure you take your medicines on time and keep all appointments. My left ventricle doesn't pump efficiently, I have a 30% ejection fraction. I get tired, sometimes really tired. I still haven't learned to pace myself and I overdue it a little. I'm on an ace-inhibitor and a beta-blocker: Atacand and Coreg. Ace-inhibitors and beta-blockers help reduce the workload on your heart, so it doesn't have to work so hard to do its job.
You may notice that your blood pressure may drop a little, again, taking the workload off your heart. The lower the blood pressure the better. Don't hesitate to call your doctor, though, if you feel lightheaded or dizzy. If you develope symptoms that are really bothersome, they can adjust your medicine. I hope this helps. Penk

[TimeWarp32]

I have cardiomyopathy that runs in my family also, but we didn't know that until December of this past year. I found I was running short of breath while walking to class in the morning (I was 19 at the time), then I started getting chest pains, coughing up blood, rapid heart rate(120+), palpatations, I got my *** into a doctor and was diagnosed mid-december. My EF was 10%, they put me on heart meds, they worked for a bit, but after moving back up to school in Jan. 06, I started feeling crappy again, not able to eat, throwing up, ect. Went back to the hospital, they put me on an IV drug that helps improve heart function (short-term) for those in sever heart failure, the drug is called milrinone. I was placed on a Heart Transplant list around mid-late Jan.

Still waiting for a heart and still on the IV milrinone.

[started04]

Hi Woodward,

Two years ago my EF was below 29% (heart failure range), and I had an enlarged left ventricle and severe mitral valve regurgitation. There was an area of the LV that appeared damage due to a silent (no pain or warning) ischemia (lack of blood flow).

A recent echo shows an EF 59%, MR moderate and normal heart dimensions. I am taking a regimen of heart meds and that includes an ace inhibitor. What appears to have happened is with meds the afterload of the heart's workload is reduced, vessels are dilated (less resistance for the heart to pump against) and contractions strengthened. Consequently, blood/oxygen refreshed the heart damage area and evidently, as a medical journal has stated, muscle can be stunned and hybernating. There has been a natural bypass of a completely blocked coronary artery.

My life has not changed. I continue to workout 3 times a week, proper diet and weight, etc. No noticable side affects from medication. Whether one's life changes depends on lifestyle prior and the underlying cause. There shouldn't be any limitations.

[woodward34]

Thanks for all the help and encouraging words. I hope that with the medications prescribed I can get my heart back to functioning normally.